I can tell that this was the author's first attempt at a thriller/murder mystery. Maybe with some more practice, it'll improve. I found there to be a lot of plot holes and timeline inconsistencies (ex. The Will O' The Wisps first appearance). I also found Jess to not be very thought out, and her actions didn't make sense most of the time.

I feel like the romantic relationship also went from zero to one hundred without any build up. I wanted some wooing, and it went from "he's broody and grumpy" to "he's actually very sweet with our main character."

I guess I was hoping for more. I hope that some of the editing that happens involves some timeline changes

A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper is, oddly enough, a fun lighthearted murder mystery. You may not think a murder mystery could be such things but I definitely had fun with this read! I also didn’t automatically figure out *who dunnit,* which is all I really ask for in a murder mystery. There were so many clues and red herrings that I found myself accusing everyone and no one at the same time.
Definitely recommend for a fun, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a cozy mystery with a dash of romance. Jess has been hired to orchestrate the proposal of Trenton to future bridezilla Diana. But she keeps stumbling onto dead bodies and drama. She was such a relatable character and I was right there wanting to wring the necks of her insufferable clients and their company. Also can we talk about how swoon worthy Dean is! I really hope this turns into a series. I would love to see more of Dean’s relatives.

This book was such a fun surprise! From the very first chapter, I was totally hooked by Jessamine (aka Jess), our lovable and oh-so-relatable main character. Seriously, if Jess were real, I’d absolutely want to be her friend—we’d sip mocktails at the spa, make sarcastic comments about suspicious strangers, and 100% go over every page of her Big Book of Life Plans together. (Which, by the way, I need to see in full. Every entry gave such a delightful peek into her personality and growth!)

The romance? Chef’s kiss. A classic grumpy/sunshine pairing that delivered all the tension and charm I was hoping for. I grinned through their banter and swooned more than once. And the mystery? It kept me guessing right up until the shocking (and satisfying!) conclusion. I pride myself on catching twists early, but this one? Totally blindsided me—in the best way.

I also really enjoyed the fast pacing—it made the story fly by—but if I’m being honest, I wish the chapters had been just a smidge shorter. I have a thing about needing to stop at the end of a chapter, and some of these cliffhangers kept me up way past bedtime!

The setting of a resort spa added such a unique and refreshing backdrop. It was fun, luxurious, and just a little offbeat—perfect for a cozy mystery with bite.

If you're looking for a mystery with heart, humor, and a heroine you’ll want to brunch with, give this one a try. Can’t wait to see what Jess tackles next (hopefully with her Big Book in hand)!

This is my first book my Molly Harper. I've had a few on my TBR for a while now and was finally able to read one, her latest releasing April 8th.

I thought this one was utterly delightful, such a fun cozy mystery. It was especially good with the romance thrown in. It was everything I thoroughly enjoy about cozies but made even better with a dash of love ♥️♥️♥️

So good, and now I know I need to get to that TBR!

This book was seriously so much fun! The whit, the murder mystery, the hilarious back and forth banter, everything about it kept me on the edge of my seat!

Jess’s character was so intriguing but at the same time relatable. The way her and the spa’s chef Dean hit it off immediately was done to perfection. I love books that add a bit of romance into the mystery! I feel like it’s such a great way to break up the head scratching parts of the story.

Most of these characters are absolutely insufferable, which makes them perfect for who they’re portraying! They’re supposed to make you roll your eyes and annoyed because then you feel exactly how Jess feels throughout the entire encounter. 🤣

I really loved the side plot about Dean and his past lover. It was such a unique way to tie the whole story together. This was such a great “who done it” murder mystery! I couldn’t have asked for anything more! The creepy remote spa atmosphere really tied everything together to give you that perfect thriller vibe!

I would recommend to all my book besties who love murder mystery’s that keep you on the edge of your seat with a tad bit of romance sprinkled in!

Jess runs a proposal planning business and finds herself not only planning a proposal but also being involved in a "pre-bridal" retreat for a snobbish high school acquaintance at an exclusive, remote spa. Despite her reservations, she needs the money. The retreat is off the grid, meaning there are no cell phones. However, the Osbourne family, who runs the retreat, is delightful, and Jess is particularly drawn to the hot, grumpy chef, Dean Osburne. As sparks fly between them, Jess must also navigate some suspicious deaths and cater to the demands of a high-maintenance bride.

This was my first time reading this author, and it definitely won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style and sense of humor. The story has a fun premise that combines mystery and romance. The isolated setting, a rustic yet exclusive spa retreat, was atmospheric. The characters were vividly portrayed and interesting, especially the Osbournes. The main character, Jess, is relatable and likable, she weighs her pros and cons with a great sense of humor. She felt like someone you might know in real life. The dialogue was witty and made me laugh several times.

The pacing is moderate but picks up as the suspense builds. I guessed the culprit, but this didn't affect my enjoyment, and I sometimes found myself second-guessing. Escapist with a lighthearted vibe, this was a fun read!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the gifted ARC

This book has an interesting premise of Jess (a proposal planner) getting roped into attending a week long retreat at an exclusive resort in the mountains with Diana (the soon to be bride to be), Aubrey (Diana's wedding planner), and Kiki (Diana’s bridesmaid/cousin) while she tries to plan Diana’s re-proposal because of course the first one wasn’t good enough for her. Jess was a better professional than me because no way would I have been able to hold my tongue with those girls. This book was such a chaotic ride and had quite a bit going on, but honestly it just worked and I flew through it.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the eARC

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for this arc.

I love contemporary Molly Harper books. Her Kentucky tourism series is darling. The Sweet Tea and Sympathy series set in Georgia is hilarious. I was all set to see how much I was going to love seeing what she'd do with a murder mystery book. The short answer is that this is not working for me at all. 

Many things confused me straight from the start. Jess is hard at work as the book opens ensuring that her clients are thrilled with the proposal Jess has worked so hard to craft. Great, that's her job. Then her phone rings with what could be business and she ... blocks the call? What, does she not have some way for potential clients to leave her a message? So she can do more business. Then she gets confronted in the parking lot by a potential client and Jess appears to be reluctant to take on a client who could pay her eye watering amounts of money? To do her job? Huh? 

I also didn't realize that Insta and social media and "brands" were going to be front and center. Maybe I'm just too old to give a damn about this stuff but yeah, I don't and don't care to read about it or custom colors of dead microscopic organisms. Plus where is the Harper humor I love? So no, this one is not for me and I will not be finishing it.

This was a fun cozy mystery with a slice of romance on the side.

Jess has an unusual job- she plans proposals through her own company, setting up lavish two person events that no one can resist saying yes to. When a former classmate requests that Jess plan a proposal do-over, Jess finds herself going on a week-long spa trip with her new client out in the woods. When Jess stumbles across a body, things take a turn for the worse on their relaxing trip.

Jess' job had me intrigued, even though the entire situation felt slightly over the top and wild. Her frank personality acts as a foil to all of the wealthy characters surrounding her on the trip, each of whom behaves badly in their own way. The side characters are all full of quirks, from the other guests to the family that owns the resort.

The mystery was intriguing and clever, and the cause of death was not one that I saw coming! I can't help myself from guessing at whodunnit in these books, and while I did solve that question, it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own. 3.5 stars

What an entertaining cozy mystery, it was quite the fun time. Characters that I loved and hated, some drama and tense moments, plenty of dry and sarcastic humor, and a splash of a sweet budding romance that didn’t take away from the mystery.
This was a different take on cozy mystery as it didn’t feel like Jess was actively trying to solve a murder for the entirety of the book, but it’s clear that she’s invested in it and is trying to get more information to put the pieces together. I think if you’re perceptive enough, there are enough Easter eggs strategically placed in here to determine who the culprit is but it doesn’t take away from enjoying it play out.
I already miss Jess and the Osbourne family and I do hope there is another mystery at the Golden Ash resort pending. I think this is a great read for those already into cozy mystery and romance lovers looking for a gateway into the genre.

Jess runs a proposal planning business and when she has the opportunity to work with a snobby but wealthy client, she jumps on it. When she's roped into the pre-bridal retreat, she's hoping she can fade into the background, but it's anything but relaxing as dead bodies start turning up.

This premise sounded unique and interesting -- a bit of mystery and romance at a remote retreat, but this book dragged for me. There are so many characters to keep straight (and most are terrible people in toxic relationships) so the story was hard to get into. The last third picked up a bit as there was some romance with Jess and the chef and the murder started to unfold, but it took way too long to get there.

Overall not one I'd widely recommend -- I probably shouldn't have finished for how uninvested I was in the story.

This story features a proposal planner who gets involved with a murder at a spa retreat with her client and her large friend group. I really liked the premise but the first about 40-50% of the book is hard to get into. I feel like i was thrown into this story and group of people with no real context. I constantly found myself getting lost in all the names and positions I needed to try to remember.

I didn't really care much about the bride and her toxic friendships but things did begin to really pick up once we were introduced to the MMC chef and the murder takes place. Once we were more involved in the mystery I definitely began to enjoy it more! I had fun following all the clues and think the book ended relatively well! Overall, a very slow start but fun once you get into the story and murder!

Thank you to Berkley for an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

The beginning chapters pulled me in and then there was a slight stumble as I got a handle on the tone and general vibe. It’s semi-cozy, little deeper here, mild chuckles there. Flippant and cute but then drama-llama intrigue too. Once I figured out the expressive direction of the story, though, it was a fast and entertaining read.

Jess has a great backstory and her current job as a bespoke marriage proposal coordinator frames everything so well. It’s interesting, a little wacky, but has her relatably on the sidelines of these posh people.

The murder mystery elements are compelling, a little creepy with the remote spa setting, plenty of suspects and personalities to fill the pages. The suspense though was soft, the violence and danger very spread out, but it all comes together for a breakneck ending.

The romance was a little shallow, more insta-attraction than anything, but the connections between Jess and the Osbourne family collectively were stronger and fun. It really was all the various interactions between the secondary characters that gave this book life. Between old grievances and new introductions, there was a lot to engage with and create fully realized characters.

It all comes together as equal parts various genres: women’s fic, murder mystery, romance. Not perfect but still perfectly entertaining with a steady pace. I zoomed through it.

Molly Harper delivers a fun, witty murder mystery with a crazy cast of characters! I love Harper's writing style in her other books, and I love that she's branching out into another genre. This had me laughing so much, and I was so intrigued by the mystery that I didn't see the twists coming at all! I really hope Harper writes more mysteries!! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

This book lacked in the mystery/suspense department. The main character didn't care enough about the things happening around her. The deaths didn't have enough detail or enough suspense. I think the story should have focused on the engagement and the strange family trying to sabotage it and left the killings out.

4.5 ⭐!! This was so cute(!!!) and such an easy read! As a friend of wedding planners myself, so much of this was relatable and I am sad to say people like Diana do, in fact, exist. This was such a cozy read that I didn't even know I needed. The murders, the setting, all of it was muah! Only downside of A Proposal to Die For was that it made me book an appointment at a spa (perhaps against my better judgement based on the shenanigans in this book) - good for me, bad for my bank account.

Plotttttt:
Jess Bricker is a proposal planner - perhaps the most fun part of the wedding planning experience, when the drama hasn't quite set in. However, this isn't going to be a usual proposal. There's drama from the start when Diana Helston demands she attend a week at a spa retreat to help plan a do-over proposal between her and pecan-tycoon Trenton Tillard IV. From murder to marital distress, things immediately do not go to plan. But... maybe that's a good thing?

Thanks:
Thank you to NetGalley, Molly Harper, and Berkley Publishing for this ARC. ♡

Man, this book had so much potential. I was really into it at first. I mean a woman who helps plan these fancy proposals ends up experiencing murders at a fancy spa. Sign me up! However, I just felt like things started to drag. I wanted some excitement and some shocking moments but it didn't do it for me. After a while I started to skim through because I was no longer interested in the story. Also, I can't believe she didn't slap Diane once this whole book. Like she deserved a slap.

I'm upset about this one. The premise was there but didn't do it for me in the end. I also felt like there were a lot of characters to keep track of. I was confused by them in the beginning and took me a while to realize who was who. (even one point the main character was like I need a chart to follow this)

*Thank you so much Netgalley & the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

3.5 STARS

Jess Bricker has the unusual job, which is wedding adjacent, of being a proposal planner. Since everything involving weddings in particular, and life in general, needs to be orchestrated these days especially for social media, Jess has a reputation for going to great lengths to deliver. The building where she lives and works is on the verge of being sold, so Jess needs a big infusion of cash to buy it. A former classmate from her elite school, Diana, hires Jess to push her fiancé’s first lame proposal into the stratosphere by having a grand do over.

Diana, who does not understand the word no, corrals Jess into a spa retreat with the purpose of planning her over the top extravaganza event. Once they are at the spa with a small crew of Diana’s lackeys, the horror of no cell service sinks in for the future bridezilla. Jess spends a lot of her time trying to placate her mercurial boss while getting to know the nice yet quirky Osborne family who run the mountain retreat. Jess is particularly interested in the grumpy, reclusive chef, Dean Osborne.

Early on, odd things begin happening including Jess finding not one, but eventually two bodies who seem to be the victims of something insidious at the supposedly peaceful and safe Golden Ash resort. Jess is desperate to keep her employer happy, while wondering what exactly she has gotten into with all the deadly goings on.

Jess is a likeable character in contrast to her old “friend” who demands sky rocket with each day. She becomes a sort of ersatz sleuth putting herself in some tenuous situations that are not exactly smart. This tale is a mash up of women's' fiction, a little romance, and the less than charming, murder mystery. The most entertaining part is the witty dialog and send up of all that is ridiculously wrong with social media as well as wealthy families who have no morally redeeming qualities.

thank you to berkley for the e-ARC

3.5 stars

this is a book about a proposal planner who gets caught up in a murder when she’s at a spa in the mountains with the demanding bride….. the premise is pretty ridiculous and the story starts off very much stretching the bounds of believability with the characters and the main conceit. I really wasn’t feeling it in those early stretches, but not everyone has qualms with believability in a mystery romance.
however, as the plot moved towards the mystery itself and some friendships with side characters, rather than the toxicity with the wedding party, it improved majorly. once I was 50% through, I couldn’t put the book down! there were lots of fun threads to pull together and I was pretty pleased by how things wrapped up. if you’re looking for a somewhat ridiculous but cute murder mystery romance, I’d highly recommend!